China drives global EV sales up 29% in Q1

A new energy vehicle production line in Changxing county, Zhejiang province. (TAN YUNFENG/FOR CHINA DAILY)

Global EV sales, which include battery-only ones and plug-in hybrids, totaled 4.1 million units in the first three months this year, up 29 percent from the same period last year, according to statistics from Rho Motion, a leading EV research house.

Of them, sales in China reached 2.4 million units, up 36 percent year-on-year. It was followed by Europe, where 0.9 million units were delivered, marking a 22 percent growth.

Rho Motion Data Manager Charles Lester said the first quarter, while turbulent, saw a strong rate of growth globally for the EV market.

Some countries, such as the UK, had a record-breaking March as drivers continued to go electric, but the removal of subsidies in France had a shrinking effect on sales, said Lester.

In North America, EV sales stood at 0.5 million units in the first quarter, a 16 percent rise year-on-year.

In 2024, around three-fifths of EVs sold in the US were domestically produced. However, most of the remaining EV sales are manufactured in Japan, South Korea, and Mexico.